Walter A. Rodney: A Promise of Revolution

The personal recollections in this book leave no doubt as to the impact that Walter Rodney had on each individual, while they also reveal much of interest about each writer. Taken together they remind us of what a seminal historical figure Rodney was, and how his reading of history and his practice as an activist still resonate today.

—Edward A. Alpers, UCLA; co-editor with Pierre-Michel Fontaine,

Walter Rodney: Revolutionary and Scholar

The interviews of these men and women who knew, studied with, and worked with Rodney provide a richly layered picture of the man, the scholar, the leader, and time in which he lived. Their recollections allow us to feel the energy and excitement as they collectively brought Caribbean history out from the shadows of British imperial history. You also feel the tension, anxiety and fear as the PNC government turned on its citizens. They help us appreciate that 1968 was as critical a time in Jamaica and the Caribbean as it was in Paris and Mexico City. Equally important, their stories convey the tremendous loss to them individually and to the peoples of Guyana, the Caribbean, and Africa when Rodney was so brutally killed. Chung has made Rodney accessible to a new generation of students. I hope they will be inspired to follow in Rodney’s intellectual and activist footsteps.

—Judith A. Byfield, Cornell University; Past President, African Studies Association

Walter A. Rodney: A Promise of Revolution is a compelling and intimate portrait of the life and legacy of Dr. Walter Rodney. Through the medium of oral history, Chung’s book provides insightful recollections on his experiences in England, Jamaica, Tanzania, the USA and Guyana from a diverse set of voices. The stories found here are honest, vivid and detailed—a wonderful example of the power of memory and the scale and scope of Rodney’s intellectual and political impact, past and present.

—Seth M. Markle, assistant professor of history and international studies, Trinity College